Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Confession
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“All done!”
Before Lee Seo-yeon arrived, I whipped up some bulgogi on top—the kind any Korean would love.
Combined with what I’d made earlier, it formed a magnificent spread of six side dishes.
“But seriously, when’s this girl gonna show up?”
Ding-dong!
They say even a tiger comes if you mention it, and sure enough, the doorbell rang the moment I grumbled.
“You’re here?”
“......”
I opened the front door to find Lee Seo-yeon staring at me with huge, round eyes.
Hey, I let you in—why are you looking at me like that?
‘Is my outfit weird?’
Just the apron, nothing special.
No way she’s into guys in aprons, right?
It’s not even a naked apron—just an apron over my clothes. That’s a bit of a stretch.
“Seo-yeon? What’s up?”
“Oh, yeah! No, it’s nothing...... I brought some dessert......”
“Dessert? Perfect. I haven’t learned baking yet, so I didn’t prep any.”
I took the dessert and led her to the living room.
It was in a paper shopping bag, and a tantalizing aroma wafted out.
‘Why does it smell this good?’
I was already looking forward to after dinner.
While I was distracted by the dessert’s scent, Lee Seo-yeon caught sight of the table and gasped in admiration.
“Wow! You really made all this, Jun-hyuk?”
“Of course. Go ahead and dig in.”
“I’ll gratefully enjoy it!”
No sooner said than she started shoving food into her mouth.
Her cheeks puffed up like a chipmunk’s, ready to burst if I poked them.
“It’s so good!”
“Finish chewing first.”
“Okay!”
She was almost cute, like a hamster.
But every time rice mixed with sides squirted out, it pissed me off.
“......I’m dying to flick her forehead hard.”
“Huh? What’d you say?”
“Nothing.”
At least after one warning, she stopped talking with her mouth full, so I’ll skip the flick.
I wondered if I’d made too much, but she’s a girl—maybe her stomach’s bigger than it looks? Anyway, all that food vanished like the blink of an eye.
“But aren’t you gonna eat, Jun-hyuk?”
“I snacked plenty while cooking. Don’t worry, keep eating.”
“Still, eating alone feels kinda......”
Perfect timing.
I pulled out one of her desserts and unwrapped it.
“Then I’ll start on dessert.”
The smell had my mouth watering nonstop.
I cut a piece with a fork and took a bite—it tasted just as amazing as it smelled.
“This is seriously good. Where’d you get it?”
“Hehe, from a bakery near my place. Glad it suits your taste.”
I’ll have to ask where later.
If it’s this good, I’ll want it again.
Or just invite her over often and have her bring it each time.
As I ate the cake, I got to the real reason I’d called her.
“How’s my cooking? Good?”
“Yeah! The best! I hear most guys these days don’t cook and just order delivery, but you’d make a great homemaker husband.”
“Hmm, really?”
It felt nice.
Like my body was floating a bit, buzzed almost, like I’d had a drink.
No alcohol in the cake, so probably just the sugar rush.
Or maybe the praise.
“Really?”
“Yeah! Totally!”
“Be honest. No lies.”
I wanted a straight evaluation, but her face stiffened instantly.
Ah, what? So it was a lie?
“Hmm, guess it was bullshit.”
“It’s not a lie.”
“Then why’d your face freeze up?”
How dare she.
I wanted her to be honest.
Lying won’t help me improve!
I stuffed a huge bite of cake to interrogate her.
“W-Well......”
“Well?”
“The food was really tasty, but......”
“Tasty, but?”
She couldn’t meet my eyes, flustered.
Truth is, I already knew it wasn’t a lie.
I saw her devour it like an eating-show YouTuber— if that was acting, she’d be a top star overnight.
‘She’s hiding something.’
What secret’s got her reacting like this?
I could use hypnosis to find out in a snap, but her reactions were too fun—I didn’t want to.
“What’s wrong? Something you can’t say?”
“......”
“Tell me. I won’t get mad.”
“......”
Oh? Pulling the silent treatment?
I’ll make that mouth open again!
“Hey!”
“Eek!?”
Even after all that, no spill?
I kicked her shin hard under the table.
“J-Jun-hyuk! S-Stop......”
“I know it doesn’t hurt that bad! Hey! Hey!”
There’s a size difference, and I’m a guy—how much could my kick hurt?
As I kept kicking, at some point, my foot felt the smooth texture of her stockings under her shorts. It felt good, so I rested my sole there carefully.
“Eek......”
I slid my foot down her calf like a caress. When I reached her ankle, I pinched the stocking between my big toe and second toe.
‘So soft.’
They say touching soft things calms the mind and body—turns out it’s true.
Ah, but that’s not the point right now.
“So you really won’t tell me?”
“......”
Savoring the soft stocking feel, I lowered my foot slowly.
When it hit the top of her foot, I wiggled my toes and pressed firmly.
“Is that all our relationship means to you?”
You’re my first redemption project, damn it!
I’ve been looking out for you since saving you this time—didn’t mean anything to you?
I got a bit mad and shoved cake in my mouth to soothe myself with sweetness.
Man, this is seriously fucking delicious. Why’s it so good?
“......Hoo.”
Finally resolved, Lee Seo-yeon sighed and spoke.
Her trembling lips looked pitiful—I wanted to press them steady with my fingers.
“The truth is, I remember everything.”
The secret from those lips wasn’t much.
“Everything you did to me, and all about your mysterious power.”
I already knew that.
＊＊＊
Today’s the best day of my life.
Jun-hyuk invited me to his place for a home-cooked meal and even got special dessert.
I still hadn’t figured out that nagging unease, but I decided to focus on the chance to get closer to him.
“You’re here?”
The moment he flung open the door, I thought the world stopped.
It wasn’t the naked apron every girl dreams of, but.
Him greeting me in that apron felt just like a newlywed husband welcoming his wife.
For a second, I almost confessed I loved him......
‘Heart, calm down!’
Confessing now might ruin our relationship!
I barely settled my feelings and stepped inside casually.
The meal he made filled me with happiness.
It tasted great, but more than that, the care in it warmed my chest like family.
‘Jun-hyuk’s weak to booze.’
Plus the joy of discovering a new side of him I hadn’t known.
But that joy and happiness didn’t last.
“Be honest. No lies.”
Hearing that, I realized what the emotion inside me was.
Why I felt uneasy despite this chance to get closer.
Now I knew for sure.
‘What if he finds out?’
He’s special. He has special powers and used them to remake me.
But he erased my memories with those powers—which means he doesn’t want me to remember him.
Even if we got close like this.
Even if we went further.
Someday, if he learned I remembered, wouldn’t he erase them again?
This time, so I could never recall.
A perfect oblivion.
‘If that happens......’
My relationship with Jun-hyuk would be like building a sandcastle.
A fleeting one, piled on vain hope amid fear it’d collapse anytime.
‘Maybe it’s better not to get close from the start.’
Even so, I couldn’t erase my feelings for him.
Even now, his teasing toes on my leg felt so lovable—I wanted to hug him.
‘If I can’t forget, I’ll make him let me forget?’
So I confessed honestly.
“The truth is, I remember everything.”
I couldn’t keep meeting him like this.
“Everything you did to me, and all about your mysterious power.”
Either pretend and cut contact.
Or have my memories wiped and end things now.
“......”
Jun-hyuk said nothing, just shoved rum cake in his mouth. He’d been steadily eating, and now one was almost gone.
He licked the crumbs off his fork and looked at me lazily with half-lidded eyes.
“So?”
Totally unexpected.
Staring at his small, glossy lips, I barely opened my mouth.
“Don’t you want my memories gone? So no one finds out about your powers?”
“I knew you remembered.”
“Huh? Then why......”
You’ve been watching me all this time?
Watching me flail to play it cool and win your favor?
I saw his flushed face—mine was probably red too.
“Just.”
Jun-hyuk popped the last cake piece in his mouth.
“You’re my first, so I’ve been lenient. Ah, real first was Yu-ra noona, but you’re a different kind of first.”
First.
Such a sweet word.
“My first time trying to redeem someone with my powers.”
No need for separate dessert.
“And my first success at redemption.”
Sweetness that made my tongue tingle.
“And the first to break through my skill and regain memories? Too bad to push away someone like that.”
“What if you weren’t first—if second?”
Jun-hyuk smiled with his eyes.
“Then you’d be in jail by now? Ignoring the online defamation, you did kidnap me.”
“Eek, s-sor...... I’m sorry!”
“No need to apologize. So don’t freak out. Just think of it as good luck and accept it.”
I thought I had no luck in life.
Meeting Jun-hyuk.
That meeting was luck beyond winning the lottery.
“Haha......”
The knot in my heart melted like sugar in water.
Then pent-up emotions surged, and I blurted it out.
“Jun-hyuk.”
I shouldn’t.
But I couldn’t hold back.
“Um, can I love you?”
Sudden confession, but he wasn’t surprised.
He just smiled with his eyes, face flushed, locking gazes with me.
His seductive look made my lower body tingle—but it’s not because I’m lewd.
Any girl would feel the same.
“......”
After a long silence, Jun-hyuk finally spoke.
“Woof!”
Not acceptance or rejection.
“Woof woof!”
A dog bark.
Was he calling my confession bullshit?
“J-Jun-hyuk?”
“Woof!”
He jumped into my arms.
“Whine!”
Like a real dog.